Friday, July 14, 2006

U.S. to Study Czech Sites for Antimissile Base

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency next week plans to send experts to inspect potential antimissile base sites in the Czech Republic, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, May 22).The United States is preparing to select a site for a European surface-to-air missile base. Experts on July 18 are to visit existing military sites in the Czech Republic, which has not yet agreed to become home to a base, the Czech Defense Ministry said.

“If a U.S. proposal favors any of the selected Czech locations, it will be necessary for a political decision to be taken, which would accept or refuse the proposal,” the agency said.

The United States last month urged the Czech Republic to announce its decision by the end of September, a Czech newspaper reported (Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, July 12).